Abraham Cresques was a modest man of Jewish descent, born in Mallorca. A man who was particularly interested in cartography and worked as a compass maker in his hometown. Through his knowledge, skills and interests in seafaring, navigation and cartography, he was one of the leading figures of the Mallorcan school of cartography. This includes other Spanish cartographers, such as Gabriel de Vallesca. But none come close to the success and work of Cresques.
Abraham Cresques always had a keen interest in compasses, seafaring and clocks. Yet he never went out to sea himself. Instead, he stayed in his town and within his community, where he fathered his son Yehuda with his wife. When he was old enough, he passed on his interest and knowledge of cartography and seafaring to him. Jehuda also became enthusiastic about it, while he was introduced to the vast knowledge and learned from his father. In 1375 Abraham finally received the most important order of his life, from the King of Aragon himself. He asked him to draw four maps that would show everything known from east to west. So he accepted and together with his son he drew the famous Catalan Atlas - without having made even one sea voyage himself. All the knowledge about the landscapes, the seas and the conditions with which he drew the atlas was based on the knowledge of foreign navigators. He obtained the information about their voyages, whose routes passed through the hub of Mallorca. Taking Mallorca as a starting point, he drew based on the reports that were told to him. Presumably, he interrogated many sailors to get as many details as possible.
Finally, with his son, he created the Catalan Atlas. In it are detailed nautical charts, which resemble more navigation charts than a real map. Knowledge of astrology, medicine, common customs and the geography of the world also went into the atlas. In addition, it created the basis for Christopher Columbus, because without Creque's mathematical calculations contained therein, they would not have been able to embark on their adventurous voyages a hundred years later. In addition, the geographical findings of Marco Polo's voyages were written down and recorded in this work for the first time. However, the cresques outdid themselves. In the end, the four required pages became a whole six double-page spreads depicting the then known world from the Atlantic to China. In addition, they are even richly provided with pictorial information, cultural backgrounds and information about the inhabitants there.
Abraham Cresques was a modest man of Jewish descent, born in Mallorca. A man who was particularly interested in cartography and worked as a compass maker in his hometown. Through his knowledge, skills and interests in seafaring, navigation and cartography, he was one of the leading figures of the Mallorcan school of cartography. This includes other Spanish cartographers, such as Gabriel de Vallesca. But none come close to the success and work of Cresques.
Abraham Cresques always had a keen interest in compasses, seafaring and clocks. Yet he never went out to sea himself. Instead, he stayed in his town and within his community, where he fathered his son Yehuda with his wife. When he was old enough, he passed on his interest and knowledge of cartography and seafaring to him. Jehuda also became enthusiastic about it, while he was introduced to the vast knowledge and learned from his father. In 1375 Abraham finally received the most important order of his life, from the King of Aragon himself. He asked him to draw four maps that would show everything known from east to west. So he accepted and together with his son he drew the famous Catalan Atlas - without having made even one sea voyage himself. All the knowledge about the landscapes, the seas and the conditions with which he drew the atlas was based on the knowledge of foreign navigators. He obtained the information about their voyages, whose routes passed through the hub of Mallorca. Taking Mallorca as a starting point, he drew based on the reports that were told to him. Presumably, he interrogated many sailors to get as many details as possible.
Finally, with his son, he created the Catalan Atlas. In it are detailed nautical charts, which resemble more navigation charts than a real map. Knowledge of astrology, medicine, common customs and the geography of the world also went into the atlas. In addition, it created the basis for Christopher Columbus, because without Creque's mathematical calculations contained therein, they would not have been able to embark on their adventurous voyages a hundred years later. In addition, the geographical findings of Marco Polo's voyages were written down and recorded in this work for the first time. However, the cresques outdid themselves. In the end, the four required pages became a whole six double-page spreads depicting the then known world from the Atlantic to China. In addition, they are even richly provided with pictorial information, cultural backgrounds and information about the inhabitants there.
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